fwm891

Hi John,

I have the same unit. I simply turned the focuser right out to it's maximum position and started the calibration from there. The reverse motor didn't do anything. It works really well I just had to reset the number of steps to 200 to give me a reasonable V curve in SGP.

This is where I downloaded mine from: https://www.primalucelab.com/downloads/SESTO-SENSO-2-software-package-1-3.zip

I then extracted all the files. Opened the (non mac) folder and (for me Windows 10) option then x64.

Then I installed the ascom driver and Focuser manager set-up

Hope that helps.

Great imaging Richard.

Can you tell me what the central object is so I can get an idea of location please

Francis

Shot last night as 4 panels. Each panel made up of 6x 300s subs. Subs were processed to integration stage in PI, saved as 16 bit tiff's and then aligned and assembled in Photoshop CS3.

Files a little large (7Mb)

Great night last night. While this is a test for a larger mosaic of the area hopefully when dear old blobby's out of the way.

Image is 12x 300s, ASi533, gain 100 and all processing in PI.

CEM60 Standard, rasa 8 and an IDAS NB-1 filter.

Great image Adam, I like my 800E too. Just a shame it's so heavy!

On 03/08/2020 at 00:28, bsf said:

Hi Everyone.

Could anyone recommend any dark observing sites near Wolverhampton, Walsall or the west midlands area? 

Jupiter and Saturn are good in my telescope but there is light pollution and are partly blocked on the horizon. It would be great to pack the scope and drive for 20 mins to a dark site.

Thanks

bsf

 

If you go west of Wolverhampton - eg: past Shipley, there are a number of villages most will have recreation grounds which can give good horizons...

Skies cleared for a short while early evening. Just got 3x 5min abd 3x 3min subs using an IDAS NB-1 2 inch filter with the ASi 533 MC Pro.

Image uncropped, processed in PI only. Overal image scale reduced for uploading.

With the weather lately I did a daylight collimation on the RC6 using a peep sight (sight cap) and earlier tonight spent 20 mins fine tuning the collimation using Alpheratz as the target and x200 screen mag. I've fitted a set of homemade collimation knobs to the secondary housing which proved a bonus.

Just managed a few subs on NGC281 using the Nikon D5100, guided with a TS 60mm guide scope fitted with an ASi120mm.

Captured via SGP, processing PI, guided PHD2 and plate solved with SATAP - first time using this for plate solving, not sure I'll go back to Plate Solve 2 now. ASTAP is so fast.

Have you tried enlarging/reducing the images to the same diameter as contrast in the systems seems to be a factor too.

I've been using Plate Solve II in SG Pro for quite a while and found recently I've been getting a lot of failed solves. There are other options in SG Pro like ASTAP which has some more encouraging reviews lately.

Anyone using ASTAP in SG Pro? any pitfalls to look out for?

I've downloaded ASTAP and it's G17 catalogue.

Thanks

On 14/10/2020 at 16:24, Peter Drew said:

There seem to be some significant extensions to the rear on some of these setup photos.  I would have thought that the usual caveats regarding correction on Cassegrains when far from the design optimum would apply also to this model?      🙂

There should be 230mm from the back of the OTA to the sensor

3 hours ago, Hughsie said:

Hi Francis,

I use the Sesto Senso on my William Optics Z103 in conjunction with SG Pro. I also use a Pegasus Astro Ultimate Powerbox as well.

Some observations about the SS (most of the niggles are around the combination with the Powerbox).

• I had to pay extra for a slightly larger mounting bracket. That wasn’t a surprise as I had measured up the focuser on the scope already but just be aware that if you go down the SS route then this may be an added cost.
• The Powerbox came with a temperature and humidity sensor so I have no experience with using what comes with the SS.
• The power cable for the SS is a slightly different size to the power leads supplied for the Powerbox so requiring an adapter.
• I have the v1 of the SS and it has an irritating flashing red light. I understand the v2 has addressed this but some electrical tape sorts out that issue.
• I like the SS as there is no need to figure out how to attach a bracket to the scope. You remove the focus knob on the scope and select the appropriate adapter that slides over the focus spindle. You then slide the SS onto the adapter. The adapter is secured to the SS motor spindle by two grub screws which you can access via an opening in the bottom of the SS. One you have done that you simply clamp the SS to your focusser by tightening a small bolt with an allen key. Smaller grub screws are located around the circumference of the clamp to further secure the unit and make minor centering adjustments if needed. Overall it is a pretty solid connection.
• You can still focus manually and rotate the course focus knob, something I do not think the Pegasus Focus Cube will let you do.
• Calibration of the focuser is quick and easy. That is the only time I really use the SS software.
• However, I have had one occasion when calibration was lost and SG Pro could not focus the scope. As I say it has only happened once but I am keeping an eye on it.
• SG Pro and the SS work fine. You will need to spend some time calculating the step size in SG Pro which allows the SG Pro focus routine to work accurately. If you go on YouTube, the ’Simplified Astro” channel has a great video on how to calculate this. The SG Pro manual has instructions on how to do this as well but I have never met a bloke who has read any instruction manual in his lifetime!
• The focus routine settings are also important in SG Pro to get the best from the software and any motor focuser. Chris Woodhouse YouTube channel has a video on this which is worth a look. I initially set up the focuser in SG Pro to refocus every hour or every 0.5 degree temp drop but didn’t really see any major difference so extended the time to 90 minutes or 1 degree. I see from your signature that you have a ZWO ASI294MC but if you are using filters then you will also need to adjust the exposure time to ensure that you capture enough stars e.g. my luminance filter is set at 10s but my 3nm Ha filter is set at 25s. Another setting to not miss is how much of the focus image SG Pro uses to calculate HFD. I apply a 20% crop as I do not have a totally flat field and this ensures the routine ignores any egg shaped stars in the corners.
• The SS unit is on the heavy side and this may cause concerns around balancing the scope and guiding as it protrudes out the side of my scope but so far this has not been an issue for my EQ6-R Pro mount. I have not experienced any problems with focus slipping from the SS unit.
• Finally, when it comes to mounting the SS just have a thought about meridian flips and your RA limits. It is a large piece of kit hanging out of the side of your scope with cables sticking out so you could run into problems with snags if not positioned correctly.

Hope this helps,

John

Thanks John,

Yes I went with the SS V2 - ordered yesterday after watching loads of videos (the Italian demonstrator's a bit OTT for me!). I liked the idea of no 'L' bracket and the attachment is certainly solid. It arrived this morning (thanks FLO) and it's now fitted and calibrated. I found the travel motion reversed OUT being IN etc... And I didn't read the instructions either. Need some clear skies to try it out now.

Now I've had an initial play with the scope I'm looking to accessorise and the first thing will be to motorise the focuser. I've been reading specs on the Pegaus Focus Cube v2 and the Primaluce Lab Sesto Senso V2 both offer multiple adapter couplings to fit different focuser units, the Pegasus offers a 6Kg load lift and the Sesto Senso ?Kg (not shown). The Pegasus also comes with a temp sensor and all the hardware to fit to my focuser (via an L bracket). The Sesto Senso doesn't appear to need a bracket for mounting and photos I've seen of the unit don't really show how it fits very well?.

Sesto Senso has wifi so I could use via an iPad...

Anyone use these units (not necessarilly on an RC) how do you find them and their related software etc.

I'd be using via SG Pro mainly.

Mine on a CEM 25P

From the kitchen window this morning....

Nikon 800E with 200mm at f3.5 1/60s hand held

Continued playing last night with the new StellaLyra RC6 OTA in combination with my CEM25P. I've kept all the subs to 60s @ 800 iso using the monochrome modified Nikon D5100. No filters, no guiding and no cooling.

The Helix nebula (NGC7293) was first as it had pretty well crossed my south fov before I'd realised, this is just 5x 60s subs  processed in PI with darks, no flats or bias frames.

IC1805 (part of), few more subs on this: 15x 60s, processed in PI with darks, no flats or bias frames.

M76, I captured 10 subs on this and was able to use them all, again: processed in PI with darks, no flats or bias frames.

Finally M74. Twelve subs on this. I shot 16 but suffered some trailing and a satellite so just ditched those, all processed in PI with darks, no flats or bias frames.

Next will be sorting out some guiding and pay more attention to focus. I made the mistake of not checking focus after the initial start up.

Thanks for looking

For once I actually like SHO - Great imaging

8 hours ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Well done Francis and some lovely images especially NGC891 which I know is close to your heart. Can you use this new scope for visual or do we have to wait for a classical cassegrain if the StellaLyra covers this type of OTA in the future?

Thanks Mark - As to visual I'm not sure. I'm not a visual kind of guy but I did take a quick look at Jupiter and Saturn last night. There was quite a bit of variable cloud but to me the view was worth it. Mars was still behind trees for me when I packed away.

I've found the intervalometer so I can get some longer subs and hopefully more of them.

Always liked 891 since imaging it with a friend many years ago and watching the prints develop in a darkroom...

Thanks Adrian, I like your M31.

Spure of the moment last night. Came in from the workshop and thought it was clearing, hadn't managed to 'see' anything at infinity with the scope so just thought I'd aim at Polaris and see if I needed all three extension rings. Ended up with a 2" and 1" ring between the body and focuser. I too had to hard adjust the focuser to prevent any sagging.

Haven't used the Nikon for a while and I need to clean the sensor. I also need some calibration frames...

Might ttry a reprocess to cut down the noise but with on 3 or 5 30s subs the images are never going to be much better.

Firstly collimation is a touch off but close.

Images taken with a Nikon D5100 mono modified DSLR mounted on an unguided CEM25P. No filters used. Processing in PI: Star alignment, Imiage Integration, Histogram Transform, Curves Transform, STF and Image Crop to remove the boundary.

Sub frames: Taken @ 800 or 1600 iso, uncooled body, all subs 30s taken using a 5 second delay before each sub manually operated shutter (couldn't find the intervalometer)

Sub details in the file names.

Moon above the horizon throughout. Variable high level cloud

Ordered yesterday delivered today great service FLO. One problem there were a few more clouds (and lots of wet stuff) in the box than expected...

I use a 9x 50 guide scope with an ASi120MM, not with an EQ5 but with a CEM25P it just works. The 50mm aperture will give brighter guide stars than a smaller aperture. Like most things in astronomy - size matters...

Well watching the thin clouds on the PHD guiding screen hurtle past I thought it was not worth starting. I've just got a mains supplied dummy battery for my Nikon D5100 and wanted to try it out so, s*d the clouds, I mounted the camera on my W.O. ZS 73+73A flttener with a Baader 7nm H/Alpha filter set up the CEM25P and went for it.

Following are all monochrome (camera modified with bayer matrix filter removed) 8 or 9 180s subs at 1250 iso. Processed in PI.

Thanks for looking

Hi, Anyone of you learned people using an ASi183GT cooled mono camera with the built-in filter wheel?

Like to know what people think of the unit please

Thanks

+1 for tube rotation I rotate 90° with my 73